impeach
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Related to impeached: Bill Clinton
im·peach
(ĭm-pēch′)tr.v. im·peached, im·peach·ing, im·peach·es
1.
a. To make an accusation against: impeach someone of a crime.
b. To bring formal charges against (a public official) for wrongdoing while in office.
2. To raise doubts about; discredit or disparage: impeach a witness's credibility; impeach someone's character.
[Middle English empechen, to impede, accuse, from Anglo-Norman empecher, from Late Latin impedicāre, to entangle : Latin in-, in; see in-2 + Latin pedica, fetter; see ped- in Indo-European roots.]
im·peach′a·ble adj.
im·peach′a·bil′i·ty n.
im·peach′er n.
im·peach′ment n.
Usage Note: When an irate citizen demands that a disfavored public official be impeached, the citizen clearly intends for the official to be removed from office. This popular use of impeach as a synonym of "throw out" (even if by due process) does not accord with the legal meaning of the word. When a public official is impeached, that is, formally accused of wrongdoing, this is only the start of what can be a lengthy process that may or may not lead to the official's removal from office. In strict usage, an official is impeached (accused), tried, and then convicted or acquitted. The vaguer use of impeach reflects disgruntled citizens' indifference to whether the official is forced from office by legal means or chooses to resign to avoid further disgrace.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
impeach
(ɪmˈpiːtʃ)vb (tr)
1. (Law) criminal law to bring a charge or accusation against
2. (Law) criminal law Brit to accuse of a crime, esp of treason or some other offence against the state
3. (Law) chiefly US to charge (a public official) with an offence committed in office
4. to challenge or question (a person's honesty, integrity, etc)
[C14: from Old French empeechier, from Late Latin impedicāre to entangle, catch, from Latin im- (in) + pedica a fetter, from pēs foot]
imˈpeacher n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
im•peach
(ɪmˈpitʃ)v.t.
1. to accuse (a public official) of misconduct in office by bringing charges before an appropriate tribunal.
2. to challenge the credibility of: to impeach a witness.
3. to bring an accusation against.
4. to cast an imputation upon: to impeach a person's motives.
5. to remove (a public official) from office for misconduct.
n. 6. Obs. impeachment.
[1350–1400; Middle English empechen, enpeshen to impede, accuse < Anglo-French empecher < Late Latin impedicāre to fetter, trap = Latin im- im-1 + -pedicāre, v. derivative of pedica fetter, derivative of pēs foot]
im•peach′er, n.
usage: The correct legal sense of impeach refers only to the bringing of formal charges against an official. Since the purpose of impeachment is the removal from office of an official who has engaged in misconduct, many people focus on the intended result and use impeach to mean “to remove (a public official) from office.” This sense is likely to cause confusion, and people should be aware of the word's proper legal meaning.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
impeach
Past participle: impeached
Gerund: impeaching
| Imperative |
|---|
| impeach |
| impeach |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | impeach - challenge the honesty or veracity of; "the lawyers tried to impeach the credibility of the witnesses" challenge - issue a challenge to; "Fischer challenged Spassky to a match" |
| 2. | impeach - charge (a public official) with an offense or misdemeanor committed while in office; "The President was impeached" | |
| 3. | impeach - bring an accusation against; level a charge against; "The neighbors accused the man of spousal abuse" reproach, upbraid - express criticism towards; "The president reproached the general for his irresponsible behavior" accuse, charge - blame for, make a claim of wrongdoing or misbehavior against; "he charged the director with indifference" arraign - accuse of a wrong or an inadequacy recriminate - return an accusation against someone or engage in mutual accusations; charge in return |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
impeach
verb charge, accuse, prosecute, blame, denounce, indict, censure, bring to trial, arraign an opposition move to impeach the President
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
obvinit ze zločinu
felelõsségre von
ákæra; kæra fyrir embættisbrot
apkaltaapkaltinti nusikaltimu valstybeipaskelbti apkaltą
apsūdzēt
obviniť zo zločinu
impeach
[ɪmˈpiːtʃ] VT1. (= doubt) [+ character, motive] → poner en tela de juicio; [+ witness] → recusar
2. [+ public official] (= accuse) → acusar de prevaricación; (= try) → procesar por prevaricación; [+ president] → someter a un proceso de destitución
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
impeach
vt
(Jur: = accuse) public official → (eines Amtsvergehens) anklagen; (US) president → ein Amtsenthebungsverfahren or Impeachment einleiten gegen; to impeach somebody for something → jdn wegen einer Sache anklagen; to impeach somebody for doing something → jdn anklagen, etw getan zu haben
(= challenge) sb’s character, motives → infrage or in Frage stellen, anzweifeln; witness’s testimony also → anfechten; to impeach a witness → die Glaubwürdigkeit eines Zeugen anzweifeln or anfechten
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
impeach
[ɪmˈpiːtʃ] vta. (esp Am) (prosecute, public official) → mettere in stato d'accusa
b. (challenge, character, motive) → mettere in dubbio
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
impeach
(imˈpiːtʃ) verb to accuse of a crime, especially to accuse a person who works for the government of a crime against the State.
imˈpeachment nounKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.